Unsung hero Isaac TeSlaa could hold the key to unlocking Lions offense after bye

The Detroit Lions have one of the best offenses in football heading into their bye week, and as such, there might not be many things they can improve to the naked eye.

Detroit's rushing offense has been impressive, placing fifth-overall in the league. Their passing offense has been good, but not quite as explosive, ranking 13th overall in the league. With that in mind, if there is one major goal heading into the week off, it would have to be getting the passing game a bit more dangerous.

Naturally, a big way to do that would be focusing on getting the ball to Jameson Williams, who's been quiet lately. In the last three weeks, Williams has 78 yards and one touchdown to his credit. There's been another big weapon similarly flying under-the-radar. Isaac TeSlaa has just 12 yards and one touchdown over the same span.

TeSlaa, however, remains an interesting name within the fanbase. It's hard to debate the impact he has been able to make as a rookie, with three touchdowns. To that end, many see him as an unsung role player. ESPN analyst Eric Woodyard named him as Detroit's answer to that question in the first-half.

"The rookie has received limited snaps playing behind wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond, but TeSlaa has produced some highlight reel plays when given opportunities. A native of Hudsonville, Michigan, he has logged only three receptions for 54 yards, though two of those receptions were TDs. The first was a spectacular one-handed grab in the season opener at Green Bay. His second career catch was another one-hander from quarterback Jared Goff against Chicago in Week 2. TeSlaa also logged three receiving touchdowns during the preseason and is emerging as a fan favorite."

Being a hometown player, TeSlaa has been able to capture plenty of fan attention early on. He's been very productive within a limited run, but there is a potential for him to be even better if the Lions can look in his direction just a few more times down the stretch.

TeSlaa could help unlock Lions' offensive potency during second-half

If there's been a problem with the Lions' elite offense early this season, it's been their periodic lapses with regards to explosiveness. This dynamic was on display against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Detroit's 24-9 win.

While the Lions controlled the game start to finish, they could have blown the Buccaneers off of the field early on. Getting more looks at TeSlaa down the field could help the offense churn out some more explosive plays and help them move the ball at times when things seem to get stuck.

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Additionally, when the Lions get into the red zone, TeSlaa is a fantastic target given his size as well as his supurb catch radius. John Morton would be smart to find TeSlaa some specific plays once the field shrinks, because he could become a serious asset to Jared Goff

Already, TeSlaa has been a nice story with the Lions as a rookie. But in the second-half, there's a possibility for him to become much more than that. He's a very talented player that might only need a few more looks to truly unlock his excellent potential.